LOS ANGELES — Nicolas Aube-Kubel made his Rangers debut in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the Kings, stepping into the lineup for Sam Carrick, who remained home to celebrate the birth of his son.
The 28-year-old Aube-Kubel — a role player who entered Tuesday with 301 games of NHL experience and played 47 matches for head coach Peter Laviolette in Washington two seasons ago — got the nod over Brett Berard, a healthy scratch for the second straight game.
“He brings certain elements on a certain line,” Laviolette said before Aube-Kubel took 10 shifts worth 5:21 of ice time. “He’s a straight-line player. He’s physical. He can score a goal and he could shoot a puck. Heavy, strong, and good when he was with us in Washington for a little bit.
“So we’re going to give him the opportunity.”
Aube-Kubel, a native of Alberta, was acquired from Buffalo at the deadline in a minor league deal in which defenseman Erik Brannstrom went the other way.
The winger, summoned from the Wolf Pack on Monday, recorded two points (1-1) in 19 games with the Sabres this season.
Laviolette allowed that “experience” was a factor in going with Aube-Kubel, who was scheduled to play left wing on the fourth line with Juuso Parssinen in the middle and Matt Rempe on the right.
Igor Shesterkin matched his career-high consecutive starts streak by getting his eighth straight — and 15th start in the Rangers’ 17 games since the 4 Nations Face-Off — in this one.
Shesterkin previously went eight straight from Jan. 8 through Feb. 26, 2022.
Shesterkin — who had 30 saves and gave up two goals — has gone 3-4 with a .919 save percentage and 2.33 goals-against average over his past seven starts and was 6-6-2 with a .902 save percentage and 2.65 GAA since the NHL resumed play on Feb. 22.
The raw numbers do not reflect the netminder’s excellence behind inadequate defensive play, even as he has posted a .915 save percentage or higher in eight of his past 13 starts.
“Shesty has been playing really well. So has Quickie,” Laviolette said in reference to Jonathan Quick, who has not played since a 7-3 loss to the Blue Jackets at the Garden on March 9. “We’re fortunate that we have two good goaltenders.
“But we’re rested, we’re ready to go, it’s a big game, we need the two points and so Shesty is the guy here.”
Urho Vaakanainen was a healthy scratch for the third straight match while Calvin de Haan sat for the 10th straight match.
Matt Rempe fought Tanner Jeannot in the third period
The Blueshirts next play in Anaheim on Friday in the front end of a back-to-back that concludes their three-game California swing on Saturday in San Jose.
